An Idiot’s Guide to Politics

Post on February 13th, 2015 by samuelshoesmith

Yesterday I watched BBC Three’s An Idiot’s Guide to Politics and I liked it. It showed how disengaged especially young people are. Watch it!

Jolyon Rubinstein has popped up a couple of times on my BBC programme radar and gets a thumbs-up from me. In his interactions with the political elite, he lacks expected embarrassment, obviously from acting and therefore awkwardness and therefore evokes questions. From this we ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? This programme, as well as the wonderful The Revolution Will Be Televised highlights the hidden goings and the complicated network that keeps the machine running.

I am enormously interested in politics. And I think everyone should be. At the end of the day, the country in which one inhabits has a series of policies and protocols, and perhaps rightfully so. I am not saying these policies and protocols are always correct, but if we were to live without this structure, chaos would ensue and naturally a new, probably more corrupt system will emerge. These policies shape domestic and international affairs. Surely having some kind of saying in how they emerge is therefore vitally important!? If a revolution group presents itself, it could be voted in?!

I was astounded by some of the interviewees’ responses. Can people really be that disengaged by politics that they do not know who the Prime Minister is but instantly recognise Kim Kardi-whatever?

Arguments presented in the programme mimic those I often hear about are the corruptness, untrustworthiness and disgust of the current political system which does need to be changed. The system dictates that they can only be altered from within. By within I mean within political power. Those who can bring about change need to be voted in. Russell Brand’s stupid comment about not voting because of disgust with the system, by its nature of being an explanation encourages others to do the same. I mean, really? (Just to let you know, I am not anti-Russell). In years past, if the ruler of the land needed to go, those discontented could attack the castle with their full might, break their way in, perform a coup and voila. Nowadays the political system is so very fortified, alterations or even revolutions can only occur once one is “rightfully” inside. A seed will grow but only if it is planted in the right place (and water and sunlight needed of course).

There was talk about social action bringing about change. Yes! All well and good! Nearly every day I receive an email from change.org or whoever asking me to sign this petition or that. Ignoring the system and moving towards public outcries means that those who do not cry loud enough will be ignored. A government policy penalises a vulnerable group and threatens to demolish their council housing. Naturally they launch a petition only to find that the celebrity they were hoping to shout from the rooftops flew out to LA for a month’s holiday. It did not pick up enough support in time so the bulldozers came in.

At the very end of the programme, the closing on screen message really makes you think.